By - Paul Cordes Wilm Bad news : If you have known and loved IDLES’ bold and aggressively in-your-face punk music from their debut album (2017’s BRUTALISM) and were stunned and slightly irritated by a few of the songs on 2021’s CRAWLER in which lead singer Joe Talbot trades in his go-to shout style for some actual no-nonsense soul singing and the band accordingly and melodically slows things down, then […]

By - Craig Ceravolo Whenever I get into a car that’s not mine and plug my phone in, the car takes over my music library and Grandaddy’s “A.M. 180” pops up on the screen (my car is old and doesn’t have a screen). It’s on account of the alphabet and what-not (you know how these things work), but it is also a nice announcement of where my musical brain is […]

By - Jackie Lo If you like: Slutever, Charly Bliss, Girlpool, Vivian Girls, Wednesday The first time I heard Pouty was when they became the “Song of the Week” here on Substrate Radio back in September when their song “Virgos Need More Love” was released. I loved the catchy chorus, I am always a sucker for fuzzy power pop, and it was also my partner’s birthday that week, who is […]

By - Kristi Houk Recommended if you like: Pylon, REM, Suburban Lawns, Swell Maps Pylon (noun) a: A usually massive gateway There would be no REM without seminal, post-punk, Athens, GA art students turned band, Pylon. Period. Former REM drummer Bill Berry famously said when declining Rolling Stone’s claim that REM was “America’s Best” saying that it was Pylon instead. Pylon’s influence on post-punk /alternative/indie - whatever descriptor is used […]

By - Kristi Houk Recommended if you like: Squirrel Flower,  St. Vincent, Talking Heads Myth #5,946: Songwriting is best when the songwriter is depressed. Mackenzie Scott who performs as Torres busts this myth wide open with a healthy dose of anxiety on her new album, What an Enormous Room released on Merge Records. She seems to be wrestling with imposter syndrome and checking herself when she falls down that path. […]

By - Jason Hamric Recommended if you like Magnetic Fields, The Pains of Being Pure of Heart, Alvvays If you are a fan of emotional, feel good, throw back indie rock then The Umbrellas sophomore release ‘Fairweather Friend’  isn’t to be slept on.  Following up their debut self titled album from 2021 they have grown and expanded their sound exponentially, while somehow managing to keep the pure of heart innocence […]

In 1998, Accelera Deck released "Narcotic Beats," a sonic expedition that beat all expectations. Hailing from the heart of Alabama, this record not only challenged regional stereotypes but also marked a pivotal moment in the electronic music landscape. Accelera Deck, aka Chris Jeely, crafted an audacious sonic tapestry that blurred the lines between ambient, IDM, and experimental electronica. "Narcotic Beats" seamlessly blending intricate beats with ethereal textures, immersing listeners in […]

By - Kristi Houk This day in music history brought to you by "There's NO cool releases this week" Recommended if you like: You will like it, okay?? I encourage you to look up the grainy video clip of St. Paul Minnesota’s best band (yeah, I said it) Husker Du performing “Could You Be the One?” the first and only single off the pioneering punk trio’s last studio album - […]

By - Kristi Houk   Trigger Warning References to rape culture and sexual assault; You know, what women and those who identify as women have been dealing with since the dawn of time. Will this shit ever get better?  Prepared to be pissed off and ready to burn down the patriarchy after listening to M(h)aol’s (pronounced “male”) debut release, Attachment Styles.  It’s no surprise that the band is Irish, I […]